Minimize Regulatory Exposure... Deliver Consistent Brands... Cross-sell Products...
Solution Helps to Better Manage Digital Assets and Establish Easy Approval Process While Minimizing Regulatory Exposure
Organizational Profile
Financial institutions are always seeking products and services that will help them increase deposits, cross-sell products and deepen customer relationships. They are extremely brand conscientious and operate in a heavily regulated environment.
DocuStar has partnered with a large, regional bank operating more than 1,200 branches located in eleven Midwest and Southeast states. Through four segments: retail banking, commercial banking, consumer lending, and investment advisors, the bank provides consumer and business banking (deposit accounts, loans, and credit cards) and investment advisory services (mutual funds, private banking, and securities brokerage).
Business Situation
Wanting to capitalize on anecdotal customer information the bank’s mortgage sales executives created their own marketing programs and tools. This resulted in dissemination of homegrown, unapproved point-of-sale, marketing collateral posing two major mission-critical problems: 1) The bank had significant exposure to regulatory and compliance issues, 2) A dominant brand was becoming diluted and a professional approach was compromised.
Without suppressing much needed sales activity and customer development, the mortgage management team sought to remedy and control its problem. They were also confronted with how to best develop, replace and distribute complementary marketing tools already being used.
The bank needed an efficient yet effective compliance approval process while creating a conduit and repository for brand marketing to deliver its brand professionally and consistently across customer-facing collateral. However, for the solution to really succeed, accessing the “right marketing materials, at the right time, for the right customer” would be critical, significantly impacting program adoption.
For various reasons and at different times, regional affiliates, marketing and the mortgage department would provide cooperative funding at an individual user level. The previous allocation, billing and tracking process was performed manually and was cumbersome. An automated allocation and tracking mechanism was added to the wish list.
Solution
DocuStar approached the bank about its issues and proposed a progressive, multi-tiered solution comprised of customized product offerings accessible via a user-friendly web interface. As our partnership began unfolding, accomplishing the immediate business objectives could also address several strategic initiatives: promoting innovation, deploying a new corporate brand, delivering alternative media and enhancing customer intimacy. We first satisfied the need for high-impact marketing collateral by developing twelve customizable product templates (postcards, posters, sales sheets, kits, etc.). Each of which can be customized by address, demographics, life stage and more.
During Phase II we designed and built a 24x7, secure web-based delivery system. All affiliates, marketing representatives, mortgage department and end-users were assigned unique IDs and passwords. Administrative privileges were customized by role. Via single-sign-on, the solution can be fully branded and integrated with the bank’s corporate portal already familiar to users, leveraging the financial institutions’ investments in existing systems. We incorporated an electronic approval process streamlining the order, compliance and brand management process.
Additionally, a list manager function was integrated. Each mortgage sales executive can target customers, realtors and key business partners via their own individual 1-to-1 mail lists.
Using our GasTankTM technology, we enabled the bank to allocate, fund, bill and track their cooperative marketing budgets while automating the process. In turn, the bank can deploy funds by affiliate, marketing department, department--even at an individual user level! Upon logging into the system, each user and administrator sees the GasTank feature graphically depicting how much money they have spent and how much they have left. Progress and usage are monitored via several customized reports.
Lastly, we host and manage the website the solution so it doesn’t require IT resources or maintenance.
Immediate Benefits
Competitive forces are intense and financial institutions need more difference-maker marketing solutions. In this instance, decentralized front-line mortgage sales executives are able to deliver customized marketing messages to unique customers and capture market share. Equally important, the branding and compliance dilemma was solved without compromising cycle time.
With an 80%+ adoption rate, and proper allocation of back office and administrative support, the solution has served as backbone for other strategic initiatives.
The Story Gets Better… Attractive Offerings That Help Banks Win More Business
Shortly after successfully launching the mortgage line-of-business (LOB), the bank embarked on re-vitalizing its brand emphasizing cross-selling initiatives. Aimed at selling additional products to existing customers and removing individual, product silos a marketing toolkit was developed. As this initiative gained momentum and, in conjunction with mortgage’s success, other departments were clamoring for access. We replicated our process, and now business banking, private banking, international, consumer lending, retail, wholesale banking have been added. Our solution has also become the de facto vehicle for delivering the marketing tool kit.
Technology has spawned alternative media and new opportunities to reach customers. Using DocuStar’s email and mobile messaging products, a myriad of progressive, 1-to-1 cross media programs have been delivered, further leveraging the platform.
The bank incrementally drives its initiatives into the marketplace without altering or shifting infrastructure. Today 3,200 active users, across 15 affiliates located in 11 states, actively retain and grow market share.
